Boat trailer



Feb. 21, 1950 B. J. SPENCER, JR, ETAL BOAT TRAILER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed July 9, 1948 award J. Swntegdm Leon 6. r/nsan INVENTORS Feb. 21,1950 B. J. SP'ENCER, JR, ET AL 2,493,014

BOAT TRAILER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1948 Bfiffldfd .J. Spencer,w: Leon 6. Br/nson IN V EN TORS Patented Feb. 21, 1950 T D STATES FusionBOAT TRAIBER Barnard, J. Spencer, .Jr., an'dLeon-(lifBrinson,-

lGainesville, El a -4 Claims. 1

This invention apapertains'ito novel -and useful inrprovements incarriers for boats.

object of th-is invention is to support -a'looat -or the like in animproved manner-andlhy improved means. This will enable the boat to beloaded or unloaded without lifting the boat manually from the boaL-tsloading position, Bin water or out, and the elimination of time inloading or unloading "the boat.

Another object of this -invention-is to :'support a boat at loothirontand rear ends thereof, :both of the means for-supporting the "boat beingoperable at the front end of the trailer.

Another object of th-is invention is toswingingly mount the rearclamping means for "the l boat 'i-n order -that the actual clampingportion of the olamping means may swing from thesides of the boat to't'he undersuriaoethereof, renderingit possible to simply pull thetrailer relieve the boat and actuate the -cla'miping means :in order-toengage the undersuriaoe 0f :saidiiboat.

astraps, -cha ins andithedike areicompletly obviated.

dinc-"ll'lary objects and features of novelty "will become apparent :Ttoithoseraskil lednin ;-'the :art, win fol-lowing the description of thepreierred dorm :ot the invention, illustnatedi'in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: iFigure "1 is'a plan view-dithe preferred form of theinvention;

Figure? is "an-elevationahside view-of 'the'devioe *shown "in Figure *1;

Figure 3 3 is 'a'fragmentary enlarged elevational.

L view showing details of construction including the front clampingmeans;

IFigure 4tis a iragmentary se'otional view taken substantially iona-l-ine l-4 of Figure .'1 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure. 5- is a rear view of the invention shown in Figure .1;

Eigure 6 is -a,- -plan,sectional view takennu'bstantiallvon the line6,-\-'6- ot*Figwure;5and iniithe thenmain frame 10f the heat trailer.

52 away :in section to li-l'lustnate details of --c0nstruc- :tlon.

"As is well, known in the art there is a gr'eat :number 'of devices, fortransporting boats from one location to another. It' :is therefore, one0f the-prime :purposesv of the pre'sent invention to limp-rove enerallyon, the :structure of this class pf invention through :the medium 0fsupplying independently operablewclamping means at the front and-rearend o;f--;ama-in:frame; this facilitates loading and unloading a boat inor out the Water, the a earsclazmpingrmeans engaging the under surface:of "a shoot after a swinging movement -of the rclam ping devices hasbeen efected. This "swinging :movement takes ;p1ace 'by nfatuation of 2alever 'positionedat theiront end Further, the normal ridge, hook for-the like which is polsitioned :at the atorwardend of the boat has been.eoundto the ran -.adequate element to .serve a isecon'daiy funotion :inthat in the present inmention it ,is, utilizedffor the purpose I ofclamping the forward end of the boat rigidly in-posiition. The means foriactuatirrg, this particular mi-amping-device ispositioned at theforward end :of the frame adjacent the; first mentioned vactuzatingvlevier. the heat may be entirely lolamped ewithin the;.trai1er at thewiorwa-rd end of :the device.

VIA smoothly :ourvedfltruss-like frameds provided @of a "pair ofsidesgenerally-indicated at 1.0 and 4&2respectivelyhavingestifieningvmemben-s 1-4 =siti-oned therein *whereverit is found desirable.

The specific elocation of the stifieni-ngnmembers .is

- 18ft within -the gpnerogativeof thesmanufaoturer.

Extending across the frame adjacent but not at the :LfOEWaZTd- GHGthereof a vsubstan-tially Meshaped bracket I26whiehlservestwo-functions. first function of this element. l6 which ispaiddezd,,l-is to ;-provide additional rigidity to the yframe-istructurewhile the/second function is to .mounta portion of onevof th'evclamlpi-ng device actuating means.

The said sides 1-0 :and 12 respeetively rare smoothlycurvedutoapointoflconvergency where- .on a draw bar 1 8 is provided.This draw bar has a i conventional poupling attached thereto for the?usual purpose tillti'ldfidfOl; suchtelements. For illustrative purposesa support generally in- Crossmembers 2:4;and =-2-6;span ithesideYmembers "H3 and :Httor stiffening :purposes :and :also

tosenve as a :support r-for. another portion of the {direction of thearrows, portions being broken uierejar clamping device actuation means.rPosiwithin the bore of the sleeve. extends through the platform 40 andis held in position by any suitable conventional means tionedsubstantially at the center of gravity of the frame is a substantiallyU-shaped yoke 28 terminating in forks 30 and 32 respectively. Each ofthe forks carries a wheel 34 with suitable means for journalling thewheel within the forks. Thus, the frame is roadable and, splash guards36 may be supplied in association with the forks to serve their usualand conventional function.

It is noted by an inspection of Figure 1 that the rear of the frame issubstantially open in order that outboard motors and the like may beeasily accommodated without interference. Also positioned at andadjacent this rear portion of the frame is means for clamping the undersurface of an ordinary boat. This means is symmetrical and includes asmall plate 40 rigidly secured to the said cross members 24 and 26thereby forming a platform. A sleeve 42 is positioned on the saidplatform 40 and is maintained in place through the use of a stud 44which is anchored This stud also such as the nut 46 and a suitable lockwasher.

By the above described structure it is appreciated that the sleeve 42 ismounted for rotation on the platform 40. A flat bar 48 is attached tothe top portion of the said sleeve 42 and has pitmans 50 and 52respectively pivotally associated therewith. These pitman rods may beseen best in Figure 6 and are obviously tubular with an extensiblemember maintained in place through rocking arm 60 by welding, brazing orother suitable means. This sleeve type bearing 62 is journaled on theupper member of one of the frame sides thereby allowing the rocking rodor arm 60 to pivot about the side to which it is appurtenant.

Viewing Figure 4 it will be seen that the rocking arm or rod 80 ispositioned in a non-perpendicular relation relative to the longitudinalaxis of the upper frame or truss member thereby allowing the swinging orrocking rod 60 to describe an arcuate path in engaging the under surfaceof a boat. In order to prohibit movement a collar 64 may be welded,brazed or otherwise rigidly secured to the upper member of the frame forengagement with the sleeve 62. serves the purpose of a thrust bearingand the cross member 24 limits the travel of the sleeve This collar 6462 in the opposite direction, also serving the purpose of a thrustbearing. Suitably positioned at the lowermost portion of the rocking rod60 is a plate 68, it being padded, which operatively engages the undersurface of the boat thereby maintaining it in the elevated or raisedposition. 'Means is provided for actuating the said rocking arm 60 andthe complemental rocking arm (unnumbered) which is on the oppositeside(I0) of the frame. The preferred means includes a relatively long rod I2which is pivotally secured to an arm I4. The said arm I4 is in turnrigidly associated with the said sleeve 42 as is seen in Fig- I ure 4.

A turnbuckle device I6 is interposed in the length of the rod I2 for thepurposes of adjustability. At the opposite end of the said rod I2 thereis an arcuate portion I8 which is connected with an operating lever 80through the medium of a conventional pivot pin 82. .The said pivot-r.400 is pivoted to a bracket I02.

pin 82 also extends through one end of a pivotally mounted bracket 84.The said bracket 84 is attached to the substantially U-shaped crossmember or platform I6 by means of the upstanding perches 86. Of course asuitable pivot pin which may be in the form of a bolt 88 extends throughboth perches and an end of the bracket 84.

The bracket 84 is an integral part of the operating lever or handle 80.For locking purposes a pin 90 is supplied in suitable aligned aperturesin the bracket 84 and in the lever 80. Thus, by placing the pin withinthe aligned apertures mentioned above and in a suitable aperture in abracket 92, which is attached rigidly to the platform I6, the rod I2 ismaintained in a selected position thereby retaining the rocking rods 80in selected position.

Positioned adjacent the forward end of the said frame is a secondlocking device which is adapted to engage and retain the forward end ofa boat in position within the frame. On the front portion of the boat abracket is bolted thereon and is used in this connection. A lever Thisbracket I02 is, in turn, associated with an angle plate I04 and theangle plate is attached directly at the forwardmost portion of theframe. The actuating lever I as disclosed in Figure 2 is in one pivotedposition. In this position a pin I08 may be passed through apertures ina small bracket I06 which is attached to the draw bar I8 for the purposeof holding the lever I00 in the illustrated position. A chain H0 issupplied connecting the pin I08 to the bracket I06 in order that it willnot be inadvertently lost. The operation is deemed readily apparent, asthe lever is simply placed within the bracket I06 and the pin I08 clampsit firmly in place.

At the inner end of the said lever I00 there is a link I09 which ispivotally secured thereto. This link has a substantially V-shaped plateII2 welded or otherwise rigidly secured thereto which clampingly engagesthe bracket I I3 bolted to the boats front end. Thus, the boat is heldat its forward end in the raised or elevated position.

While there has been described and illustrated but a preferred form ofthe invention, it is apframe and a draw bar attached at the forward endthereof, means swingingly mounted adjacent the rear of the frame forclampingly engaging the bottom portion of a boat, means for actuatingsaid clamping means, said actuation means including a pivot mounted onsaid frame, pitman rods attached to said pivot, and means positioned atthe forward end of same frame for rotatin said pivot, a lever pivotallymounted at the forward end of said frame, means for locking said leverin a predetermined position, a link pivotally mounted at one end of saidlever and a plate secured to said link adapted to clampingly engage theforward end of a boat.

2. The combination of claim 1 and said locking means including a bracketassociated with said frame and a pin detachably mounted on said bracket.

3. A boat trailer comprising a frame having a draw bar attached to thefront end thereof and having'an open back and, rocking arms swinginglymounted adjacent the rear end of the frame and swingable laterally ofthe frame for clampingly engaging the bottom portion of a boat, avertically disposed'pivot secured to said frame adjacent the rear openend, pitman rods secured to said rocking arms, a bar mounted on saidpivot for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane and having said pitmanrods secured thereto whereby upon movement of said bar, said rockingarms are swung inwardly and outwardly of said frame, means disposed atthe forward end of said frame for operating said bar including a leverpivotally carried by said frame by means of a horizontally disposedpivot so that said lever is movable in a vertical plane, meansoperatively connected with said draw bar releasably retaining said leverin one position, means including a link connecting said lever with saidbar so that pivotal movement of said lever is reflected in pivotalmovement of said bar, and a locking assembly partially carried by saidlever and by the forward end of a boat for releasably supporting theforward end of the boat.

4. The combination of claim 3 and said locking assembly consisting of abracket, 9. link pivoted to said lever and a member carried by said linkreleasably retained in said bracket.

BARNARD J. SPENCER, JR. LEON G. BRINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

